Bumpers are generally conceived as providing protection to a vehicle and its occupants from damage or injury in case of a collision with another vehicle or object. For this reason, the combined use of a bumper for protection and storage on a conventional vehicle has been thought unfeasible because of probable damage to the stored items in the event of a collision.
Thus, patents for bumpers which had a dual purpose have been limited to applications such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,324,427 and 4,068,876. In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,427, Huang et al., a tube of protective cloth was rolled up inside the bumper to act also as a cushion or buffer in a collision. And in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,876, Muellner, the counterweight assembly around which the bumper was constructed is limited to use on large construction machines.
Vehicles which use an open bed for transporting materials or carrying tools are susceptible to theft of any items left unattended in the bed. Owners desiring protection of belongings, especially long-handled tools, such as shovels and rakes, are forced to lock them in the cab. Other items such as jacks and chains can be stored in optional boxes attached to the bed; however, this has the disadvantage of dirt, grease, or water damaging anything else stored in the box. Further, such boxes cannot accommodate extra-long tools. In addition, motor homes and trailers provide little, if any, space for storage of these items which also gives protection from theft or the elements.
The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a bumper having a storage compartment integrally constructed the entire width of the bumper. High-strength steel is used to give protection from outside collision. The top surface opens as a lid to give easy access for longer items, and locks securely fasten the lid in the closed position to provide protection from theft. In addition, the bumper material is either painted or chromed to resist corrosion.